I'm not one to deviate too far from the Standard Works of the Church (the Scriptures) in establishing doctrine. I therefore don't hold to just taking things GAs say as gospel. However I did find two interesting statements in Brother Oaks (an apostle) talk in the Sunday afternoon session. Both are supported in the Scriptures anyway. The one I wish to discuss here is his statement about what the original sin (transgression) actually was.
Some Anti-Mormon literature quotes Satan claiming that Adam and Eve could become as Gods.
"For God knows that in the day you eat of it, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as Gods, knowing good from evil." Gen 3:5
It then proposes that Joseph Smith taught this, so must be following Satan. However in the same chapter (verse 22) it says,
"And the LORD God said, See, the man is become as one of us to know good and evil: and now, least he put forward his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:"
So God has supported the concept that Adam and Eve had become as them in that they knew good from evil. I had always viewed that as the end of the subject.
However Brother Oaks presents the following,
"Some people think the fall of man had something to do with sex, but that is a mistake. . . . What Satan put into the heads of our remote ancestors was the idea that they could ‘be like gods’—could set up on their own as if they had created themselves—be their own masters—invent some sort of happiness for themselves outside God, apart from God." Unselfish Service
I have many times searched to understand what the original sin was. I felt strange that God had not seen that the answer was there somewhere. Yet here Brother Oaks has declared his opinion that it is.
When I heard this it just made such sense. For starters the answer IS under our nose. Secondly we have a transgression only, not a sin (transgression of the law). Yet a feeling that would lower their righteousness enough to begin the fall.
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2 comments:
Great point....I really enjoyed the post and your thoughts on what Oaks had to say. I have always thought it interesting that so many people go towards the sex idea...which would not be a sin or transgression if they were married in the garden
Nifty Marketing
Thanks for the comment.
Yes, they were commanded to be fruitful and multiply. So they would have only been following that instruction in having sex.
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